Method for transferring a load from a first support to a second support

ABSTRACT

A load is transferred from a first support to a second support by tensioning a transfer sheet lying between the load and the first support to raise the load from the first support and then a second support is slid under the load to replace the first support prior to releasing the tension on the transfer sheet.

@ie States Foury ent [1 1 1 July 31, 1973 [22] Filed:

[ METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING A LOAD FROM A FIRST SUPPORT TO A SECOND SUPPORT [75] Inventor: Georges Foury, Plessis-Robinson,

France [73] Assignee: Compagnie Generale dAutomatisme, Paris, France July 2, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 159,317

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 2, 1970 France 7024561 [52] U.S. Cl 214/152, 214/38 R, 214/301 [51 Int. Cl......- 865g 7/00 [58] Fleld of Search 214/10.5 R, 44 B,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,514,098 7/1950 Shreiner 294/74 2,913,205 11/1959 Desbois.... 214/10.5 R 2,702,140 2/1955 Mowyer... 214/105 R 2,973,218 2/1961 Schaum 224/49 3,622,025 11/1971 Petersen 294/74 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 957,236 3/1962 Great Britain 214/310 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J. Oresky Attorney-Richard C. Sughrue, Donald E. Zinn et al.

[57 ABSTRACT A load is transferred from a first support to a second support by tensioning a transfer sheet lying between the load and the first support to raise the load from the first support and then a second support is slid under the load to replace the first support prior to releasing the tension on the transfer sheet.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING A LOAD FROM A FIRST SUPPORT TO A SECOND SUPPORT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention The present invention concerns a method and apparatus for transferring a load from a first support to a second support, for example from a first pallet to a second pallet.

Description of the Prior Art One application of the invention is in the field of air freight transport, where freight is generally loaded onto pallets of a special type, designed for air transport, which are relatively expensive. It is highly advantageous to insure a rapid turnround of the pallets, so that these are used exclusively for air transport, the amount of time for which they are idle on the ground being reduced to a minimum. It is therefore necessary for the air freight to be transferred from the special pallets onto another support, such as a conventional type of pallet used for surface transport. In this way, the air pallet is available for immediate reuse, receiving a new load and being installed in an aircraft.

Loads transported on pallets usually consist of an assembly of diverse packets, parcels and the like held together on a common pallet, for example by means of a net fastened to the edges of the pallet. These mixed charges often have a highly irregular outline, but each pallet load is assembled so as to conform appropriately to the shape of the aircraft in use.

It has already been proposed to place between such loads and their first support, in thiscase the air pallet, a transfer sheet which has generally been of cardboard. It is intended that the load be transferred from its air pallet to a ground pallet by sliding it along on the cardboard sheet. This process can lead to various accidents, including overbalancing of the load or tearing of the transfer sheet. As the transfer is carried out by sliding, friction must be low, which is contrary to the requirement that the load is retained safely upon its pallet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to provide a method and apparatus for transferring a load from a first support to a second support in which no sliding motion intervenes.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of transferring a load from a first support to a second support when placed between the load and the first support is a transfer sheet sufficiently large for an edge portion to project from at least two opposite sides of the load, the transfer operation comprising the steps of: grasping the projecting edge portions of the transfer sheet and tensioning the sheet to support the load so as to enable the first support to be removed; replacing the first support with the second support; removing the tension from the sheet so as to place the load on the second support; and releasing the sheet edge portions.

In a second aspect, the invention provides apparatus for transferring a load to a second support from a first support, a transfer sheet being located between the load and the first support and being sufficiently large for an edge portion to project from at least two opposite sides of the load, the apparatus comprising: an arrangement selectively operable to grasp each projecting edge portion of the transfer sheet; means selectively operable to tension the sheet to support the load so as to enable the first support to be removed; and a system for replacing the first support with the second support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of examples only, and with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an air cargo pallet supporting a transfer sheet which, in turn, supports a load.

FIG. 2 is a similar schematic view to that of FIG. 1, illustrating the initial step of load transfer.

FIG. 2a is a further schematic view of the arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2 subsequent to lifting of the load from the air pallet, permitting removal of the air pallet.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation illustrating the substitution of a wooden pallet for the air pallet.

FIG. 4 is a similar shcematic view to that of the prior figures showing the step of lowering the load onto the wooden pallet by means of the transfer sheet.

FIG. 4a is a schematic view of an alternate method of lifting the load relative to the underlying pallet.

FIG. 5 is a further schematic view similar to that of FIGS. l-4a, illustrating the release of the transfer sheet by the jaw assemblies after depositing the load onto the wooden pallet.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the transfer apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a first support 10 carries a load 11. The support 10 is an air cargo pallet having upper and lower horizontal surfaces spaced to permit the pallet and its load to be lifted by a fork-lift truck. A mechanically strong transfer sheet 12 is placed between the pallet 10 and load 11 and is sufficiently large for respective edge portions 12a and 12b to project from opposite sides of the load. The transfer sheet 12 is preferably rectangular, and may project beyond the load on more than two sides, where appropriate.

The transfer operation begins by grasping the projecting edge portions 12a and 12b and tensioning the sheet 12 to support the load 11 so as to enable the pallet 10 to be removed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the edge portions 12a and 12b of the sheet 12 are grasped by respective jaw assemblies 21 and 22. Each jaw assembly may consist of a set of individual jaws arranged to grasp respective portions of the sheet edge portions.

The sheet 12 may be tensioned by displacing the jaw assemblies 21 and 22 as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2. Alternatively, if the jaw assemblies 21 and 22 are fixed, the sheet may be tensioned by moving the pallet 10 downwardly away from the load 11. In-either case, the pallet 10 may then be removed, the load ll being supported on the tensioned sheet 12.

It will be' appreciated that tensioning may also be achieved by a combination of displacing one or both of the jaw assemblies and lowering of the pallet 10.

Where each jaw assembly consists of a set of individual jaws, these may be individually displaceable to provide a variation in the tension applied to the sheet along the respective edge portion. This is particularly advantageous for mixed loads in which the weight distribution is highly irregular. Whether the jaw assembly is composed of individual jaws or a single jaw, the tension applied to the sheet may be controlled by means of a dynamometer.

It will be further appreciated that the jaw assemblies 21 and 22 may be displaceable horizontally away from the load 11, or vertically, rather than in an inclined direction as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows the substitution of a second support in the form of a wooden pallet 30 of conventional construction for the first support in the form of the air cargo pallet 10.

The tension is then removed from the sheet 12, by the reverse of the operation by which the sheet was initially tensioned. Thus, the jaw assemblies 21 and 22 will be moved as shown in FIG. 4 to lower the load 11 onto the pallet 30, the pallet 30 will be raised to contact the load 11, or a combination of these two operations will be effected. The sheet edge portions are then released to leave the load 11 supported on the pallet 30, as shown in FIG. 5.

It will be realized that it is not convenient to have the sheet edge portions 120 and 12b projecting as shown in FIGS. 1 to during transport of the load. These edge portions are thus folded upwardly and inwardly to flank the load during transport thereof, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5. If the load is held in a net or with straps or ties, these will suitably be applied after the sheet edge portions are folded up in this way. When this is done, the net, straps or ties are unfastened before a transfer operation, and the sheet edge portions folded down.

The transfer sheet 12 is of a relatively flexible but mechanically strong material, and may consist, for example, of a thin sheet of metal, either perforated or unperforated, or of welded wires or cables. More specifically, a steel sheet of 0.5 millimetres thickness and of ordinary commercial quality may be used.

The outermost portions of each edge portions 12a and 12b may be folded back upon themselves for a distance of some few centimetres, both to provide stiffening and to avoid a sharp edge at these points. A steel or other metal rod may be retained in each fold, to further stiffen the edge portions and to further facilitate the grasping thereof.

The extreme edge portions of the sheet may be provided with hooks, rings or the like by means of which they may be attached to the load during transport.

The sheet may be given an anti-skid treatment on one or both sides,by means of embossed patterns or any other suitable arrangement.

The jaw assemblies 21 and 22 may be hydraulic, screw-operated or driven in such other way as is known to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the apparatus for transferring the load from the air pallets to the ground pallets 30.

A first conveyor 40 passes loaded pallets 10 through a station 42 where the sheet edge portions 12a and 12b are folded down to a transfer station 44 incorporating the sheet edge grasping arrangement and tensioning system.

A second conveyor 46 removes unladen pallets l0, and a third conveyor 45 passes unladen pallets 30 to the transfer station 44.

The loaded pallets 30 pass from the transfer station 44 through a station 47 in which the sheet edge portions are folded to flank the load.

The second and third conveyors may be associated with respective systems for stacking the unladen pallets 10 and removing the unladen pallets 30 from a stack.

The four conveyors may be endless belts, roller conveyors, or conveyors using motor-driven wheeled chariots, or of any from suitable to each particular application.

The transfer station may include means for weighing each load.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method of transporting a freight by plane between a departure air terminal and an arrival air terminal, some flight distance therefrom, the improvement comprising the steps of:

at the departure air terminal:

depositing a mechanically resisting transfer sheet sufficiently large for an edge portion to project from at least two opposite sides of the freight load on a special air type pallet,

placing said freight on said sheet and carrying said air pallet carrying said sheet and said freight into the plane;

and at the arrival air terminal: removing the air pallet carrying the sheet and the freight, from said plane,

grasping the projecting edge portions of the transfer sheet and tensioning the sheet to support the freight so as to enable the air pallet to be removed,

removing the air pallet and placing the same into the plane, I

replacing the air pallet with a conventional type pallet,

removing the tension from the sheet so as to place the freight on said conventional type pallet,

and releasing the sheet edge portions.

2. A method as claimed in claim l, in which the sheet is at least partly tensioned by displacing at least one of the gripped edge portions relative to the other.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the sheet is at least partly tensioned by lowering the first support.

4. In a method of transporting a freight by plane between a departure air terminal and an arrival air terminal, some flight distance therefrom, the improvement comprising the steps of:

at the departure air terminal;

depositing a mechanically resisting transfer sheet sufficiently large for an edge portion to project from at least two opposite sides of the freight load on a special air type pallet,

placing said freight on said sheet and carrying said air pallet into the plane,

and at the arrival air terminal:

removing the air pallet carrying the transfer sheet and the freight by a conveyor moving in a first direction towards a transfer station,

moving a conventional type pallet towards said transfer station on a second conveyor whose path intersects that of the first conveyor at said transfer station,

grasping the projecting edge portions of the transfer sheet and tensioning the sheet at said transfer station so as to enable the air pallet to be removed from beneath said freight load,

removing said air pallet from said transfer station and from beneath said tensioned sheet in the same direction as the direction of movement of said conventional type pallet and to the side opposite that from said conventional type pallet,

replacing said removed air pallet with a conventional type pallet beneath said tensioned sheet,

5 6 removing the tension from said sheet so as to place line with and moving in the same direction as the the freight load on said conventional type pallet, conveyor in line with and moving in the same diand rection as the conveyor initially moving said air releasing the sheet edge portion, and pallet at the arrival air terminal to said transfer conveying the conventional type pallet and said 5 station.

transfer sheet and said freight on a conveyor in i 

1. In a method of transporting a freight by plane between a departure air terminal and an arrival air terminal, some flight distance therefrom, the improvement comprising the steps of: at the departure air terminal: depositing a mechanically resisting transfer sheet sufficiently large for an edge portion to project from at least two opposite sides of the freight load on a special air type pallet, placing said freight on said sheet and carrying said air pallet carrying said sheet and said freight into the plane; and at the arrival air terminal: removing the air pallet carrying the sheet and the freight, from said plane, grasping the projecting edge portions of the transfer sheet and tensioning the shEet to support the freight so as to enable the air pallet to be removed, removing the air pallet and placing the same into the plane, replacing the air pallet with a conventional type pallet, removing the tension from the sheet so as to place the freight on said conventional type pallet, and releasing the sheet edge portions.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the sheet is at least partly tensioned by displacing at least one of the gripped edge portions relative to the other.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the sheet is at least partly tensioned by lowering the first support.
 4. In a method of transporting a freight by plane between a departure air terminal and an arrival air terminal, some flight distance therefrom, the improvement comprising the steps of: at the departure air terminal; depositing a mechanically resisting transfer sheet sufficiently large for an edge portion to project from at least two opposite sides of the freight load on a special air type pallet, placing said freight on said sheet and carrying said air pallet into the plane, and at the arrival air terminal: removing the air pallet carrying the transfer sheet and the freight by a conveyor moving in a first direction towards a transfer station, moving a conventional type pallet towards said transfer station on a second conveyor whose path intersects that of the first conveyor at said transfer station, grasping the projecting edge portions of the transfer sheet and tensioning the sheet at said transfer station so as to enable the air pallet to be removed from beneath said freight load, removing said air pallet from said transfer station and from beneath said tensioned sheet in the same direction as the direction of movement of said conventional type pallet and to the side opposite that from said conventional type pallet, replacing said removed air pallet with a conventional type pallet beneath said tensioned sheet, removing the tension from said sheet so as to place the freight load on said conventional type pallet, and releasing the sheet edge portion, and conveying the conventional type pallet and said transfer sheet and said freight on a conveyor in line with and moving in the same direction as the conveyor in line with and moving in the same direction as the conveyor initially moving said air pallet at the arrival air terminal to said transfer station. 